Newsweek's 'Hit the Road, Barack' Author Strikes Back: 'I Suggest Krugman Reads a Wee Bit More Carefully'

As NewsBusters reported, New York Times columnist Paul Krugman on Sunday called Newsweek's cover story "Hit the Road, Barack" unethical.

Niall Ferguson, the author of the piece, responded at the Daily Beast writing, "I suggest Krugman reads a wee bit more carefully before his conscience next starts blogging":

You know you have hit the target when Paul Krugman takes time out from his hiking holiday to accuse you of “multiple errors and misrepresentations” ... but can only come up with one truly feeble objection.

After covering some of the same ground I did Monday, Ferguson observed:

Krugman suggests that I haven't read the CBO's March 2010 report. Sorry, I have, and here is what it says:

“The provisions related to health insurance coverage—which affect both outlays and revenues—were projected to have a net cost of $1,042 billion over the 2012–2021 period; that amount represents a gross cost to the federal government of $1,390 billion, offset in part by $349 billion in receipts and savings (primarily revenues from penalties and other sources).”

But thanks for trying, Paul.

That's a good sugggestion, but I'm not sure "trying" helps a shill like Krugman who's been regularly exposed as playing fast and loose with budget and economic data to advance his agenda.

That he is still paid for his unqualified opinions is an indictment of the state of journalism today.

As such, Ferguson's entire rebuttal is a must-read.